Selling losing investments

Its hard to sell a losing investment just incase it bounces back.

If you are locked into a struggling share, then the usual advice (after the event) is to take an early loss and put the money where it's more likely to grow.

The alternative is to sit there like a rabbit caught in the headlights praying for a miracle that might not come. Or if it does you might have a long wait.

The flaw in the first piece of advice, is that a person who gets themselves into this position, is just as likely to find themselves in the same position with their next best guess.
Whereas the second piece of advice will at least keep them out of further trouble and preserve the funds they have left as long as the share doesn't dip again. And of course it might recover if the conditions are right.

It's a soul destroying position to find oneself in, and it all stems from the inability to correctly read the index and the market in the shares you are trading.   

You would probably be better off putting your hard earned into a unit trust.
Even then, your timing can be disastrous.

I look for struggling shares I think will bounce back at some point.
Not easy and have to be prepared to wait long time.

depends what it is.

for instance on tescos i ditched them and never even risked buying when they were under 2 quid.

where as barclays i bought at 260 ish last year and then topped up again at 240 and 215...

These two investments combined amount to around 5-7% of my total holdings. The CNA investment was for the dividends. Whilst the dividend for the next year or so may be lower, the re-investment of the dividend should ensure it's return in the right direction. The raw materials fund was an investment for diversity. Outside some final salary pensions and some other pensions, I have largely pursued retail bond and dividend plays over the last couple of years. I'm not sure when I'll  retire, but I think I'll be able to afford to at the age of 57. (6 years time)